Head and chin support



Aug. 6, 1940. o. E. DAVIS HEAD AND CHIN SUPPORT Filed June 2, 195a P WINVENTOR;

Patented Aug. 6, 1940 PATENT OFFICE HEAD AND ()HINv SUPPORT Olin E.Davis, Whittier, Calif., assignor of onethird to Carolyn L. Brock,Whittier, Calif., and one-third to Daniel W. Schierman, Pico, Calif.

Application. June 2, 1938, Serial No. 211,426

2 Claims.

The invention is a time saving device for embalmers, facilitating theplacing of the head of the body to be embalmed in the correct positionwith ease and precision, and holding the chin, mouth and head in placein a manner that prevents distortion of features.

The invention also relates to a means for applying pressure to the chinof a corpse to maintain the mouth closed in a naturally appearingmanner, yet without applying pressure to the skin of the chin in such amanner as to leave a depression or mark of any kind upon that part ofthe face.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide for supporting apart of a corpse by a member which contacts directly with bony tissue ofthepart supported and which therefore does away with the necessity ofsupporting such part of the corpse by external pressure of a kind thatmight disfigure the same.

Other objects, advantages, and features of invention will hereinafterappear.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective View, illustrating an embodimentof my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevational sectional View taken on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional View taken on theline 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1, as illustrated at A, a base member is shown consisting of aslab or block which may be constructed of any suitable material, uponwhich is rigidly secured, at either end, uprights I and I I. Saiduprights are slotted as at |2 to adjustably mount a head-piece which Ihave designated in its entirety as B. Said adjustable mountingconsistsof trunnions formed of studbolts I4, passing through slots l2, andthreaded or otherwise secured in the body portion l6, oi the head-pieceB, whereby vertical and angular adjustments of the head-piece B may beobtained. Thumb-nuts I5, threaded upon the protruding ends of the saidstud-bolts I4, serve to hold the head-piece B in the adjusted position.

It will be noted that head-piece B is composed of the aforementionedbody portion I6, and a, rockable segmental portion I'I, these two partscoacting in a manner to be subsequently described. The segmental portionI1, is arcuate in form, having an arcuate outer surface l8, adapted toengage with a similar arcuate surface I9, on the body portion I6,thereby supporting the segmental portion II in a manner to permit atilting or rocking of the aforesaid segmental portion H, in a confinedpath of travel. The frictional contacts of the flat end portions of thehead piece with the inner faces of the metal strips Ill against whichthey abut cooperates with the clamping nuts l5 to hold said head piecesecurely in its adjusted position.

On the surface |8 I have provided a rib 20 concentric therewith, adaptedto be received within a groove 2|, cut in the surface |9 of the bodyportion l6, thereby preventing axial movement of the said segmentalportion IT, with respect to the body portion IS. The segmental portionI1 is recessed as at 42, to receive the head of the body being embalmed.

At the lower portion of upright l0, adjacent to base A, is adjustablysecured a laterally extending arm 22, having at one end a slot 23,engaging with a stud-bolt 24, which is threaded into the base A. A looknut 25 secures the arm in lateral adjustment. At its outer end isprovided an upright 26, brazed to or otherwise suitably fastened to thearm 22, upon which is adjustably mounted a chin support C.

The chin support C comprises a needle 21, mounted on the end of thethreaded shank 28, of a thumb-screw 29. The thumb-screw 29 is inthreaded engagement with-one leg of a U- shaped bracket 3 I, at one end,and integral with a laterally extending arm 32. The needle 21 passesthrough an opening 33 in the upper leg 34, of bracket 3|, therebyserving to guide and support the needle 21 in the adjustable travel ofthe screw 29. The chin support C further comprises an adjustablemountingD. Said mounting consisting of a head 35, bored as at 36, toreceive the upright 26, and adapted to rotate horizontally and slidevertically thereon. A set-screw 31 is threadedly received in the head35, and serves to hold the same in adjusted position. A threaded shank38, extending outwardly from and carried by the head 35, carries acollar 39, bored as at 40, to receive arm 32. A thumb-nut 4|, threadedupon the shank 38, engages said collar 39, causing frictional engagementbetween arm 32 and head 35, thereby securing said arm 32 in the desiredposition.

The head rests on the rockable segment l1, and the head-piece B isadjusted for height and angle, after which the chin support 0 is placedin position with the needle 21 screwed down until flush with the upperleg 34 of the bracket 3|. When the chin support is in position, theneedle 21 will be directly beneath and under the chin bone of thesubject. Emphasis is placed on the fact that no part of the chinsupport, other than the needle 21, comes in contact with any part of theflesh of the subject. By means of the thumbscrew 29, the needle isscrewed up until it is firmly pressed against the chin bone therebyclosing the mouth and holding the chin in a natural position while beingembalmed. When removed, the needle leaves no noticeable mark and thefeatures remain in a natural position, and without distortion.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangements ofparts shown, or the particular uses to which same may be placed, I claimas my invention:

1. A structure to support a corpse for embalming including a support torest upon a morticians table and a needle carried by said support andthereby rigidly maintained with its point directed upwardly, there.being a suffi-cient clearance around the point portion of the needle toenable said needle to be utilized as the sole support of a portion tothe corpse having bony tissue engaged by said needle, a screw-threadedbase in said support, a screw member which passes therethrough, saidneedle being carried by and projecting axially from said screw memberthereby providing a means to vary the upward extent of the projection ofsaid needle.

2. In a structure of the kind described, a support suited to rest upon amorticians table, a bracket adjustably mounted upon said support, saidbracket including a rod having a rebent end portion whereby there isprovided an upper portion and a lower portion in a spaced apart relationto each other, and a needle-likeshaft having its pointed portiondirected upwardly, said shaft having a screw-threaded relation to saidlower bracket portion and extending upwardly through a guide passagetherefor in said upper bracket portion.

OLIN E. DAVIS.

